Bronny James Proud Of Growth During Rookie Season

A lot was made about Bronny James being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round last summer because his father is LeBron James.

Bronny was the most talked about 55th pick ever due to his last name, on top of playing for one of the most prestigious franchises in all of sports. Heading into his first season, there were unrealistic expectations for Bronny, but L.A. played it smart by placing him in the G League to continue his development.

Notably, James dropped a career-high 17 points for the Lakers against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 21 and he looked extremely confident on the floor, showing off the hard work he put in. Despite not getting much time with the Lakers, the 20-year-old was proud of his rookie year and the way he developed in such a short time.

“Good,” Bronny said. “Proud of what I’ve become, proud of the growth that I’ve had over the year and ready to get back at it next year.”

Making the leap from college to the NBA is never easy for any player as they compete against the best athletes in the world. A lot goes into preparing to compete on a nightly basis, so becoming a professional is a lesson Bronny learned right away.

“I think just being a professional,” the former USC Trojan said. “Coming into work and making sure I get all my duties done by day and keep my body right to be healthy. Sleeping great, everything like that. Just being a pro is the main thing I tried to focus on this year.”

Of course, LeBron played a role in acclimating his oldest son to the hectic NBA lifestyle and Bronny credited him for preparing him for this moment throughout the years.

“I’d say a lot, not just this year but being with him from when he was with the Cavs,” the rookie guard said. “Not that I remember a lot from back then, but just being around him and being around the pros and picking up notes and stuff like that. Watching other players, I feel like it helped me a lot.”

As his focus shifts to his sophomore season, it remains to be seen if Bronny will be ready to make an impact at the NBA level. However, that will not stop him from continuing to improve and work on his game.

“I think just keep going. Whatever anyone says or thinks about me, just keep my head down and stay true to myself. Just keep going, keep getting up every day and working the same as I did yesterday. It was a great stepping stone for me.”

Given how wild and chaotic this year has been, this work-hard mentality bodes well for James’ potential success down the line. Lakers head coach JJ Redick wanted to build a system that develops young players and Bronny is going to be a product of that.

L.A. is not known as a development hub, but hopefully, they can mold their former McDonald’s All-American into a confident 3-and-D player that plays valuable minutes in the near future.

Bronny James wants LeBron James to come back for another season

After a disappointing first-round exit, all eyes turn to LeBron James and whether he decides to retire or return for another season. His son Bronny James is among those who want to see LeBron return next season and early indications are that will happen.